Prognosis generally means the probable outcome of a disease or the chances of recovering from it. As there are two types of back pain namely, acute and chronic, the prognosis of each type are also different. Patients with acute back pain mostly recover without any residual functional loss but patients suffering from chronic pain may land in complicated conditions if not treated timely and efficiently. The prognosis of low back pain are excellent as about 80 % of the patients recover from it completely, in around 4 to 6 weeks. Whereas, the prognosis of chronic pain usually depend upon the cause behind it. People suffering from chronic back pain do not realize that how severely can it damage one's life thus making it hard for the person to enjoy even the simplest of daily activities. Often, it has been seen that people with chronic pain are treated as if their pain is either imaginary or exaggerated. No objective evidence or physical findings are there for explaining the chronic back pain therefore leading to unnecessary evaluations and treatments putting the patient's life at risk. Chronic pain can also lead to sleep disorders like disrupted or non-restorative sleep.
A person suffering from chronic pain may face serious complications afterwards if the pain is not treated timely and efficiently. Any severe back pain wants attention if any of the following conditions are present along with it: Any recent injury Age above 50 years If the pain is prominent enough to wake you up at night Pain accompanied by fever Pain unrelated to movement Pain accompanied by unexplained weight loss Chronic use of corticosteroids If the pain gets increased by lying down Presence of history of urinary tract infection All these conditions need an immediate medical attention in order to avoid any future complications.
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